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No Salsaretta this weekend in the intended prep race
Starting to think we may not see her out in time.
I avoid the inevitable Willie Mullins Cheltenham frustrations by sticking to the ‘to win any race’ market and rarely backing his horses ante post. I ignore what he says re likely targets and pretty much expect the unexpected. Take nothing away from him, the man is a genius, but the phrase ‘willie Mullins bingo’ exists for a reason and that’s why I avoid his until I know that they are sound and going to a specific race.
They’re learning about dozens of horses all season, some more versatile than others. Multiple owners, jockeys opinions possibly changing with each passing ride..
I don’t mind that he keeps his options open but it’s the secrecy of some horses fitness which concerns me. Patrick was asked twice about Douvan’s injury on the Postcast and despite saying that it wasn’t related to his pelvic injury from last season, he chose not to divulge any info.
A very minor injury yet one which forced them to consider ruling him out for the season. Perhaps it’s very specific.There have been some very popular, talented horses injured / absent in the last few years ( not just with Mullins ) and it puzzles me why it’s been almost impossible to obtain any information, even from the Racing Post, as to the extent of the injuries involved.
There’s still an issue of PR in the sport, highlighted by Henderson’s bemused reaction to the outcry after the Altior fiasco
i do get tired with the “genius” word being thrown around. Other trainers have produced remarkable feats but never get that nonsense attached to them
Fair enough Clive….hard to get away from the fact hes one of the most successful trainers in history and has down a brilliant job with numerous horses.
If he’s not a genius in the training game, i presume there aren’t any!
Twitter: Jackh1092
Hindsight is 20/20 so make the most of it!You may not like the overuse of the word ‘genius’ Clive (I hate the overuse of the word ‘legend’), but genius is a fitting word to describe his achievements so far. Willie operates at a strike rate of over 31%+ year on year. That is remarkable. He has been champion trainer in Ireland since 2008/2009, has trained 32 Grade 1 winners in one season and has set the record for the most Cheltenham winners with 8. You can get as tired as you like, the word genius is thrown at the man repeatedly because that’s exactly what he is.
Hes a very good racehorse trainer. Not with every horse under his care i believe but thats about it
i would give credit to a trainer who changes the sport (martin Pipe many would argue) or produces training feats that stand out (nichols with Denman and Kauto) with special gifts but no more than that
Your comments are pretty unclear and pointless Clive. This is a thread about all things Willie Mullins, I don’t understand the relevance of bringing up trainers like Nichols or Pipe, who would obviously get a huge amount of credit from 99% of people on here in their own individual right
But what does he do that makes him a genius?
perhaps I’m a retard, but I’ve never got what’s so special about the training game. for me it’s about sending horses up and down a gallop, how complex can it be. Even alan king said recently that it’s 90 percent about the horses. There’s only so much you can do if the horse isn’t good enough. But then I guess he isn’t a “genius”, like the mighty mullins
If he’s got stats that are so way ahead of everyone else either he’s getting much better material, has better facilities or I’m a bit suspicious (prepare to get my head bitten off by those offended by the view there’s not much to the training game
)But I repeat, what exactly constitutes a “genius” trainer?
It’s hard to interpret if you are being serious or facetious Judge. I suspect it’s the latter as you cannot believe that ‘sending horses up and down a gallop’ comment.
For me, he is a genius because he demonstrates exceptional consistency in an exceptionally inconsistent sport. His results say it all and basically mean I can stop here.
For me, he is a genius because he demonstrates exceptional consistency in an exceptionally inconsistent sport. His results say it all and basically mean I can stop here.
but he isn’t a sportsman, he’s a trainer. would you say Mo Farah’s trainer is a “genius” trainer? despite the rumours about drugs?
you still haven’t explained to me what differentiates mullins from his other trainers, other than the results. what is he doing differently than anyone else? you say you find my statement ridiculous about “sending them up and down a gallop”, but what is this hidden skill that you can explain to me that he’s doing other than that? because I’d really like to know.
Your comment on sportsman is just silly. I said he demonstrates exceptional consistency in an exceptionally inconsistent sport. You asked a question and I gave you an answer. You said earlier in the RSA thread that you ‘shouldn’t have to justify everything you write’ on here. Why don’t you take a leaf out of your own book and accept my answer.
Plus, how would I possibly know what differentiates him from other trainers? You say ‘other than the results’, but I see what you see which is the results and not much else. There is obviously no magic formula, singular reason or ‘hidden skill’ as to what makes someone a genius trainer, it will be hundreds and hundreds of factors.
There is obviously no magic formula, singular reason or ‘hidden skill’ as to what makes someone a genius trainer, it will be hundreds and hundreds of factors.
and yet you haven’t named one….
What’s the point of naming one? You are a WUM Judge. I’l play along anyway, why not. You want one factor, ok. I’ve heard the way he sends his horses up and down the gallops is superb. There you go
What’s a WUM? is this one of your insults?
Your comment on sportsman is just silly.
why is it silly? my point is that the horses themselves constitute most of the skill level involved. it’s a fact that Mullins gets the stock. obviously he’s good at what he does, otherwise he wouldn’t have got them in the first place, but it gives him a huge advantage. Most of the skill level in being a trainer seems to me to be not ruining them, ie not picking the wrong targets, over racing horses.
Plus, how would I possibly know what differentiates him from other trainers?
you’ve just destroyed your whole argument there I’m afraid. how you can possibly call someone a genius, when you have no idea why he is a genius, is beyond me.
it seems to me that my argument here is an obvious one yet you seem to miss it. I’m simply stating that the horse itself is the primary factor in success. sure, he improved total recall quite a few pounds. but then you have to wonder how he did it. did he send him up the gallop quicker? did he put more hurdles in a way? or was it just a case of the horse working with better horses? or is there a more sinister reason? I’d like to know what some of these “hundreds” of factors are that are involved in making a racehorse trainer a genius. is his brain just bigger?
it seems a mystery to me, the whole mystique around the racehorse trainer and annointing them geniuses seems very emperor’s new clothes stuff.
WUM just means someone who enjoys winding others up.
Other than the odd column in the RP or a feature on ATR, we see very very little about how trainers actually train on a day to day basis. I don’t know what Willie does differently to Alan King because I am not in their yards. So I’l say it again, how could I possibly know what differentiates Willie from other trainers. There are hundreds of things that we just don’t see, like diet, exercise, patience, routine, to name but a few. All we really have as punters to assess what happens behind the scenes are the results, and I let the results guide my opinion. I am willing to call him a genius due to his ridiculously good strike rate over an extended period of time.
Just because you don’t like this as an answer does not mean I have misunderstood your incredibly straightforward point that success is more about the quality of the horses than it is the trainer
Just to intervene lads in relation to the Judge’s comments. What makes him a genius? I don’t know. But what I do know is that his strike rate is head and shoulders above the rest. But what makes him more exceptional is his ability to improve horses from other yards. That is testament to the fact that he is better than others. Total Recall is the most recent and obvious example, but even Annie Power and Douvan are examples. And at a lower level horses such as Kings Wharf improved over 30 pounds in the space of a few runs for Mullins. There are many more examples. Other things that make him stand apart are his ability to bring horses back from injury or other problems. In recent years Faugheen, Annie Power, Quevega, Arctic Fire have all proven this point. Obviously other trainers can do that too, but not all.
In my opinion any trainer can get a horse rated 20 pounds below his true ability and then win a handicap or two. The true mark of a master is to have horses trying all the time and win at the strike rate he wins with.
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